wolf breeding as pets~ Old topic

i know this will mostlikely be a can of worms...and i have no problem with that.....cuz i think wolves should have a place in the wild, however they could also live with people. Indians have had them as pets in the past....but i just wanted to know how you people feel about it. ps. sorry if what i said was confusing...don't worry bout it, just respond with your opinion, if you want. :)

Native americans may have found abandoned wolves and raised them to adult hood, but they didn't actually keep wolves as pets. If they did, they'd have turned into a domesticated breed of dogs. I imagine the wolves they did raise came and went as they pleased, and weren't what we all would consider 'pets' in the truest sense of the word. Wolves are wild animals. In general, I am opposed to keeping wild animals as pets, especially for the average citizen who has no idea of what all is involved. This is why there are sooo many reports of abuse for people who keep lions, bears, leopards, foxes, etc in urban environments. Even wolf hybrids havea n extremely high chance of being involved in an attack on humans, simply because a wolf is a very hierarchy oriented animal that always seeks to improve it's position in the pack.. usually by challenging the higher ranking members and exerting dominance over the lower ranking members like children. This is a recipe for disaster. Dogs have taken up to 90,000 years to reach the level of domestication they are currently at from wolf to dog. You can't erase 90,000 years of domestication even if you raise a wolf pup from the day it's born. Some stuff is preprogrammed into the genetic code.

My friend had a wolf hybrid. I say had because he bought it when he had no place to live. Left it at my house for 4 months while I was nearing the ended of my pregnancy. I had no time for his dog/wolf. He eventually realized he couldn't keep the puppy after buying it back from the state twice for legal abandonment. It was terrible and I was always on him for it. I don't really have a problem with it in general, but I can think of a million and a half reason why people shouldn't have wolves or any other dog for that matter. A responsible owner and responsible breeder...hmm nothing wrong with that. Unfortunately, these things are not as common as I would like. Ditto minniyar

i completly agree with you both...i just want to see what others think about it. i think that wolves should be left in the wild and only brought into the "human world" when they need our help. To learn other's opinions is another way to understand life.

there are so many things people need to know before even considering these having one of these animals. i have met many through the years. some were good and others shy. dogs were bred to work with man and be a companion to them. wolves on the other hand are very shy creatures. they have a much more instinctual dominant ranking system . there are alot of domesticated dogs that are dominant but not to the degree that the wolves are. they take this hierarchy very seriously as it is vital to the pack that rank is established and maintained. wolves are my favorite wild animal as anyone who enters my home could tell. i would never own a pure wolf or a hybrid. when you read about the mishaps with human owned wolves be it hybrids or not it is not the animals fault. they are acting instinctively. they are very complex creatures and i don't believe there's more than a handful of people in this country that could have the proper environment or understanding of these animals to own them successfully. so i guess my opinion is that wolves should be left to the wild and i am so very thankful that there are people out there that rescue these souls from idiots and can give them a better life.

depends on how much wuss opps i mean wolf is in the hybred ? just remember you have to remain the alpha at all times . the only problem i had with mine was dog aggression ,but he seems to mellow out as he got older .

wolf hybreds shouldnt be left alone with children . when i had mine when he was a pup he is a mix of shepard and pit not sure how much wuss opps i mean wolf is in him , he was raised with a dominant amercan staff .terrier ,since he was weaned to young ,he took to her as mom . some hybreds do well with children and dont see them as the alpha ,the one they see as the alpha is the one who trains them . after 7 years i never had a problem .

Wolves are animals, so I love them like any other, but I think from their point of view, it's hard for them to be away from their packs. They have a strong pack instinct and want to be with a group of animals like them. When they can't, they have a hard time adapting, as people don't cut it for them, and they turn on people. Also, snce they are naturally wild, they can't adapt as well to a domestic lifestyle like your average dog can. I don't hold it against people or think badly of them if they have a hybrid, but I don't think the wolf is a good house pet.

deb, if you mean wolf everytime you write wuss, then why not just write wolf? i don't mean to be reading into what you ment too much, but wolves are no wussies....they are very proud, strong animals. i am sorry if i read into what you ment wrong.

There would be a difference between how Native Americans kept these creatures compared to how most people/families raise dogs nowadays. The body language of wolves compared to dogs is very similar but their are differences. I'm sure Native American respected the wildness of the creature and didn't keep them, just befriend them, provided some meals to the animal. Which would keep the animal comeing back. Adult dog probly didn't play with children, but pups were probly good play mates for the children. Older Wolves would not really have that carefree playfullnes that our own pets feel sometimes. Adult Wolves would be more of a mature serious animal, Pack position would definetly play a role in the animals behavior.

I pretty much agree with sue. Native Americans were very in touch with the wild and nature. Wolves were part of the natural world and the Native Americans made friends with them because they wanted to be in tune with that natural aspect of life.

wow! i'm really impressed by all you. for the most part you all agree on this one. i have been thinking...what if someone was 'intune' with the wolves? like they understood them more then most and wanted on as a pet. what do you guys think about this?

It is not impossible to keep a wolf. It just seems that there are enough domesticated dgo breeds to satisfy anyone's fancy. I really like wild animals to stay wild. I have seen a lot of wild animals in captivity. It is sad. You can see there desire to be free.

Glad I found this place, I am actually thinking about getting some Wolf hybrid pups. I admit, I don't know a lot about these animals, only been doing the research for the past few days, but the general consensus that I got is that the high content breeds would not be suitable in captivity, but other ones are o.k?? or are they bad news altogether? I have 5 acres of land with 6 feet tall fence all the way around. I have other animals on the peoperty, but I am the only human and natually, the Alpha ( I hope :p). I think that make me a suitable owner for these animals. I am thinking about starting out with the low content hybrid pups, what do you guys think? I am not interested in breeding these animals, just companionship. What are their diets consists of?is dog food sufficient or is raw meat required like some website claimed? also the ability to get along with other animals? I believe these animals like cold weather, although we do get snow here in the California high desert, but it could also get hot in the summer time as well. Would they be comfortable in a climate like this? Seems like some of you have experiences with these hybrids and I would like your honest opinion, I don't trust the answers from the breeders :p Also I would consider adoption from a rescue organization, if you know any. Most of my animals are adpoted. Thanks

You are bound to find a ton of dogs that have the appearance of wolves. Raising wolves or thier hybrids is never on my recomendation list. I have know quite a few people who own or have owned them...these are not domesticated animals they are wild by nature. If you really like the way that wolves look they are some dogs that fit the bill. Examples: huskys, malamutes, utonagan, etc...

I also would never advise getting a wolf hybrid. Definitely go with a wolf looking dog. I'm honestly not sure a 6 foot fence is high enough to keep one in, and they have such a high prey drive, I'm not sure on how well they'd get along with any other animals you have. Not only that, there's no way of knowing whether or not your pup would grow up to constantlychallenge your alpha position as a wolf would do in the wild. Why even risk having problems? I've heard soooo many breeders talk about what percentage wolf their animals are, and many of them lie and lower the percentage, because it is illegal to have above a certain amount.

i have been reading everyones coments on wolves,and in ways i believe ,or know, everyone is right. my mother and father-in-law has one. a female they have had for about 10 years. she was about a year when they got her, and she is a very kind hearted animal. they also got a male that was about 3 years but had to get rid of him because when the time came where she went into heat my father-in-law went to feed them and the male attacked, because that was his territory as most males feel. since then she has had pups with thier rott. and some of them are being used for police k9s. if you ask me wolves are like any other dog if you give them love and food they will love you back. my opinion is you turn any regular dog out into the wild for awhile and see if they come to you with open arms. i am a big time animal lover and i believe with any animal, respect, loyalty and love, have to be given in order to be recieved.